Black Falcon

45-55 cm; span to 1.2 m. Female larger. Big, sooty brown falcon, with broad, pointed wings and long rounded tail; strong whitish legs/feet part-hidden by long, blackish 'trousers'. Old birds acquire whitish forehead and throat, fine whitish barring on base of primaries and undertail-coverts. Juvenile: paler feather margins. Singles, pairs, family parties: usually seen in open country; perches on fence-posts, dead trees; looks small-headed, broad-shouldered, rather crouched. Flies with easy, shallow beats of sharply pointed, casually drooped broad wings that are widest at 'wrists'; trailing edge straight. Black wing linings show little contrast with underside of flight and tail feathers. Tail usually held narrowly folded in flight; but when fanned, looks large and ample; note diagnostic small notch at each corner. Circles over driven sheep, quail-shooters, harvesting machines, waiting for quail, pipits to flush; tail chases or 'stoops' at astonishing speed. Often pirates prey from other raptors.